Footwear



Sept. 25, 1928. A 1,685,561

R. A. BUNKER FOOTWEAR 1 Filed July 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Im/enfor Spt. 25, 1928.

1,685,561 R. A. BUNKER FOOTWEAR Filed July 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fzyuanfor Y 4% yam/p4 Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES EAL PH A. BUNKER, OF YARMOUTH, MAINE.

FOOTWEAR.

Application filed July 9, 1927. Serial No. 204,643.

In footwear subject to rough usage such as that employed inskiing, in hunting, in ranching and the like, snow in the winter time.

and dust and sand in the summer time are apt to pass from the outside to the inside of the footwear frequently occasioning wet, blistered or chafed feet of the wearer, also vines, weeds twigs, etc. are apt to become entangled in any catchy surface on the exterior of the footwear and thusperhaps trip the wearer. Under my improved construction I render practically impossible the penetration of foreign matter from the outside to the inslde of the boot or shoe or any interference from vines or other entangling material and likewise secure certain other important advantages hereinafter referred to.

While my invention, as stated above, is adapted to useby those practicing the sport or business of-skiing, ranching, hunting, lumbering and the like and consequently the footwear may be made differently in certain respects to especially adapt it to the intended use, nevertheless the features of construction which. constitute my invention will be substantially thesame in them all and since my new footwear is well adapted to the sport or business of skiing I will in the drawings hereof illustrate it as applied to a ski boot as one of several forms in which it may be constructed;

In the drawings hereof. Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a sorcalled ski boot in its closed position as upon the foot of the wearer.

. shown in Fig. 2 including the lacing.

Fig. 4 represents an elevation of Fig. 2 showing the so-called tongue but omitting the gussets between the apron and the quarters.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of Fig. 2 showing one of the gussets connecting the apron and one of the quarters in a partially extended position the tongue being pressed forward together with the apron.

In the drawings (1) represents the sole, 2) the heel, (3) the back stay, (4) the vamp, (5) the apron of the vamp. This vamp (4) with its apron (5) which forms part of the vamp is a seamless, imperforate and. preferably smooth piece of material, usually leather. It constitutes the entire shoe above the sole excepting the quarters, gussets and back stay and it, as well as the quarters and back stay, may be waterproofed if desired and attached to the sole and heel in any preferred manner, usually by the so-called welt construction. (6) is a strap connected at one edge of the apron near its upper part and provided with a buckle (7 is a strap connected to the opposite edge of the apron.

(9) (9) see Fig. 2are the two quarters of the structure. They are sewed to the upper edgeof the vamp (4) on substantially the line (16) .and are each provided with eyelets, hooks or the equivalent (10) adapted to receive lacings. (11) (11),see best Fig. 3 are two gussets attached respectively at their front edges (12) (12) to the apron near its edges and at their rear edges (13) (13) to the quarters respectively somewhat in rear of the eyelets or hooks (10) and between the line of attachment of the gussets (11) to the quarters (9) there is a tongue (14)see best Fig. 4 which extends upwardly and preferably proects somewhat above the top of the foot opening as best seen in Fig. 1. At the upper end of the back stay (3) I prefer to form a loop (15) for aid in pulling the boot upon the foot.

The parts being made and assembled substantially as above described the operation and function of the parts is as follows.

The apron (5) being pressed forward as in Fig. 2, thereby extending the two gussets (11) (11) on each side of the foot opening, which is thus'materially enlarged, the foot of 'the wearer may readily be inserted particularly through the aid of the pull strap (15) at the upper end of the back stay (3). When the foot is inserted the tongue (14) is preferably pulled upwardly somewhat so as to make it lie smooth and in proper position. Thereupon the lacings which engage in the eyelets or hooks (10) in the two quarters (9) (9) are snugly drawn into position whereby the two quarters, one on each side, will be snugly brought against the ankle of the wearer with such tightness of grasp as desired depending upon the pull upon the lacings. This is an important feature because in skiing and in hunting or fishing in rough or slippery places good, firm ankle support is very desirable and under the stated construction if the quarters are made of suflieiently strong and stiff material they will give practically unyielding support to the ankle.

The lacing having been efiected the apron (5) is drawn back snugly against the lacing an-dthe now tightly laced edges of the quarters, and'the straps (6) (7 being passed to the rear of the ankle the buckle and strap are engaged and drawn up to such one of the holes in the strap as will give the desired snug grasping of the ankle, the quarters, the tongue and the back stay as the wearer may desire.

From the above description it is obvious that since the vamp (4) and its apron (5)- are a continuous, smooth, seamless and imperforate piece of material, the only seam in the entire structure being the seam (it) whi ch connects the rear sections of the vamp with the quarters and of course the seam at the rear of the structure which is covered and protected by the back stay (3) that any penetration of foreign material from the outside to the inside of the footwear is impossible except such as possibly can enter the protection of the wearer against wet, ir-

ritations and chafing and when used by hunters in rough land the avoidance of tripping occasioned by vines, twigs or weeds becoming entangled in the-somewhat rough and catchy exterior surfaces of similarfootwear as heretofore made. v

The above description and the drawings hereof disclose one desirable form for the construction of so-called ski boots, but I wish it distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to the. details of construction shown and described because in the manufac ture of boots designed for skiing as well as for other purposes the form of certain of the parts and their method of combination may be somewhat altered and et the essentials of the invention be retainec It will of course be understood that where in the following claims I refer to the vamp as imperforateand seamless that the stitching connecting the gusset-s with the edges of the apron and the quarters with the upper edges of the vamp and those at the back stay are not included.

I claim 1. Sportsmens footwear having a vamp, said vamp having an upwardly extending apron, quarters extending upwardly from the rear portions of the vamp, adjustable means to-tightly secure the quarters together about an ankle, and adjustable means to tightly secure the apronaround the quarters, the latter means being unsecured to-thequarters and extending from the apron and adapted to surround thequarters.

2. Sportsinems footwear having a vamp, said vamp having an upwardly extending apron, quarters extending upwardly from the rear portions of the-vamp, said quarters at their forward edges having eyelets to receive lacing to tightly secure the quarters together about an ankle, and adjustable strap means connected solely to the vamp tosurround the quarters to tightly secure the apron around the quarters, and gussets disposed between the apron and quarters and extending substantiallythe height of the quarters.

RALPH a. BUNKER. 

